


Empty Beds and Promises

by holidayhealer



Category: She-Ra and the Princesses of Power
Genre: Angst?, F/F, Fluff? Maybe?, a bit open ended but we'll see if i decide to continue it, i should be sleeping but instead im stuck in catradora heaven, idk ya'll can check it out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-11-25
Packaged: 2019-08-29 01:39:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,782
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16734606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/holidayhealer/pseuds/holidayhealer
Summary: After Catra finally decides to leave the Horde, she ends up wounded in the Whispering Woods. Adora, out to clear her head, finds Catra and not having the heart to leave her there or turn her in to Bright Moon just yet, Adora sneaks Catra back into her room.Can she trust Catra after everything that happened?Adora finds herself torn over whether she should give in to her feelings or follow what she knows is best.





	Empty Beds and Promises

**Author's Note:**

> Hey guys! I'm desperate for She-Ra content so I'm out here making my own. Yeah, so I don't really explain why Catra left, but honestly that's because I'm just here for good gay moments- aren't we all? 
> 
> Hope ya'll enjoy !

It wasn’t supposed to be like this. 

Adora stared into the darkness of her room. The body pressed against her back was warm and familiar. The way her tail draped over Adora’s leg was sweet. There was the sound of soft purring in her ear and it sent little vibrations passing through their bodies. 

Adora hadn’t expected to find a wounded Catra in the Whispering Woods and hadn’t expected to bring her back to Bright Moon. She certainly hadn’t expected to find herself sharing a bed with her enemy. 

Her stomach brewed with guilt from hiding Catra from Glimmer and Bow. Even if Catra claimed to have left the Horde, it still felt like some kind of betrayal to the Rebellion to keep it a secret. She didn’t know what she was doing, but she just couldn’t get herself to turn Catra in. 

She wanted this moment. She needed it. 

Some days she missed Catra so badly that her heart ached. She had cried over it too many times.

Adora felt a hand slip around her waist, Catra’s claws lightly ghosting over her. “What are you thinking about?” Catra’s voice was quiet and husky with sleep. 

“I don’t know.”

Catra snuggled closer and Adora could feel her nose on her neck. “Do you wish I wasn’t here?” 

Adora could hear the pain in that question. She wanted to say “no”, She wanted to yell it at the world. Adora pulled away long enough to allow herself to roll over and face Catra. “What are we doing, Catra?” She looked into those eyes she used to love watching light up with emotion. She missed them. She missed Catra. 

Catra pulled her hand back, but kept her face inches from Adora’s and her tail on Adora’s thigh. “Who cares? We can do what we want.” A smirk grew on Catra’s face. “I thought you were never going to untie me. Who would’ve guessed that you’d invite me into your bed?” She raised an eyebrow, a chuckle rising from her.

Adora pushed Catra away. “Oh, please. I just wanted to shut you up. I couldn’t think straight with you constantly whining. ‘Ow, Adora, it hurts! I’m uncomfortable! Pay attention to me!’,” Adora gave a poor imitation of Catra’s voice and dramatically slapped the back of her hand to her forehead. “You were driving me crazy.”

Catra sat up and punched Adora’s arm. “Hey, I don’t sound like that! And I wasn’t whining, okay? I just wanted you to untie me and I knew that would make you do it.”

Adora laughed. “Riiiight.” 

“Yeah, it is right.” 

Crickets could be heard chirping from outside. It was peaceful. Calming. 

Adora’s face fell and she let her arm cover her eyes. “What am I doing?” It was quiet, more to herself than to Catra. 

She heard Catra sigh and felt her settle back down. “Dunno.” 

It would have been better if she had told Glimmer immediately. The longer she waited, the worse it would be, but she just couldn’t get herself to do it. 

#### *[Earlier]*

#### 

As the cloth was pressed onto the wound, Catra jerked to the side, hissing in protest. “That hurts!”

Adora huffed, rolling her eyes. “If I don’t clean it, it’ll get infected.” She inched closer on her knees and reached out with the freshly bloodied cloth. “Stop being a baby.”

“I’m not a baby,” Catra growled, her ears flattening and teeth bared. “Will you just untie me already? This is dumb and it hurts.” Catra had her hands tied behind her back and another restraint around her ankles. 

Adora raised a finger to her mouth. “Ssh! Keep your voice down. I can’t let them know you’re here.” She glanced over her shoulder towards the door. It had been hard enough to convince Bow and Glimmer that she needed alone time after sneaking Catra in through the window. Adora knew the two of them were probably plotting when they should check in on her again. She lowered her head and dabbed at the wound on Catra’s neck. “And no. I can’t…” She raised her gaze and met the mismatched eyes of Catra, the crease on her brow disappearing. “I can’t trust you.” She thought of when Catra left her in the First One’s ruins. Of the near fall of Bright Moon. Of the marks left on her back.

Catra scoffed, looking towards the wall. “I told you I left the Horde. You think I’d look like this if I hadn’t?” She winced as Adora pressed harder. “Why did you even bring me here then? You should’ve just left me.”

It could be a trap. It could be some elaborate scheme to get into Bright Moon. A way to get to the queen and She-ra. 

Adora watched as the cloth grew more stained. The bleeding was slowing down and it didn’t appear too deep. “I wasn’t just going to leave you there.” Her voice was quiet. She brushed Catra’s hair back and began to clean around the wound. She had seen another cut along Catra’s side, the fabric of her top torn and reddened. 

“Are you gonna turn me in?”

“Maybe.” Adora pulled back and looked at the cloth in her hand. “I don’t know.”

Catra shifted, a sigh leaving her lips. “I really did it.”

Adora looked back up and Catra faced her. Adora wanted to believe her. She searched her face for any sign that everything she’d been told had all been a lie. “I just don’t understand.” Adora stood, the cloth still clutched in her hand. “Why now?” She watched the water flow outside her room, the waterfall filling the moments of silence. 

“Does it matter?”

Adora turned back, a laugh of disbelief escaping her. “Uh, yeah, of course it matters. You could’ve left with me. You could’ve left before all of this.” Adora threw her hands up, gesturing around the room. 

Catra’s ears went back down. “Oh, right. I could’ve left with you after you had already left me. After you had already turned against the Horde.” Her tailed flicked. “You hurt me, Adora.” Catra pulled against the ropes around her wrists and grumbled something to herself. She situated herself into the corner of the walls. 

How many times did she have to say sorry? Adora was sorry. She didn’t want to leave Catra. She never wanted it to go the way it did and seeing Catra turn so far away from her had been so painful. 

Adora frowned and pressed her hand to her chest, the cloth still in her fingers. “And you think you haven’t hurt me?” She stepped towards Catra, her face heating up. “Have you ever once thought about how hurt I was? How hurt I’ve been? I wanted to be with you.” Her voice was raising and she could feel the sting of tears in her eyes. “You left me too, Catra. I asked you to come with me and you rejected me - stop making this my fault. And still, even after everything you’ve done to me, to my friends, I brought you here because I love you!” Adora was almost panting from her outburst, her breaths coming out harsh and choppy as she fought back the urge to cry and the crack of her voice. “You broke my heart.” 

The two were caught in a silent stand-off. Adora breathing heavily and Catra wide-eyed and slack jawed in the corner. After a few moments, Adora’s face burned red and she wiped at her eyes with the back of her hand. She quickly turned and went to her desk, setting the dirtied cloth down and grabbing a bandage to wrap the wound with. 

“I didn’t – I mean, I didn’t know how, um…” Catra’s voice trailed off. 

Adora fiddled with the bandage, wrapping it around her fingers tightly before unraveling and doing it again. She stayed at the desk, her back to Catra. Her ears and cheeks were hot. “Yeah, well, it doesn’t matter.” She pulled the bandage between her fingers, concentrating on the sensation of it on her skin. She wanted to throw Catra out the window and be done with it. Send her back to the Horde. Or maybe turn her into Angella and have Bright Moon deal with her. 

Yet the way her heart pounded made Adora want to melt into Catra. She wanted to scratch her ears and hear the beautiful hum of Catra’s purr. She missed the warmth at the foot of her bed. Adora wanted nothing more than to wrap her arms around Catra and never let her go. 

A knock on the door made Adora jump, the bandage falling to the floor.

“Adora?” It was Glimmer. 

Oh god. It was Glimmer.

Adora looked at the door and then shot her gaze towards Catra on the floor. Back to the door. Back to Catra. 

“Can I come in?” She saw the door handle move.

“Wait!” She raced across the room, throwing her body against the door with a thud. “Uh, I mean, one second! I, uh, I…” Adora saw Catra looking wildly around the room and beginning to scoot towards the bed. “I’m not dressed,” Adora said, one hand preventing the door handle from moving anymore. “Just took a dip in the ol’ waterfall, ya know? Reeaaalll relaxing.” 

There was a weight on the other side of the door. “Adora, are you okay? You sound strange,” Glimmer drew the last word out, almost as if she were afraid of offending Adora. 

“Yes, I’m great!” Adora watched as Catra slunk behind the bed, slowly but surely. When Catra was out of sight, Adora cracked the door, just enough for her head to be exposed. “See? Great.” 

Glimmer knit her brows, trying to look into the room. Then she settled her gaze on Adora. “You don’t even look wet, though.” Glimmer frowned, a hand going to the door. “I-is someone else in there? I thought I heard you talking.”

Adora pushed harder against the door, a grin plastered on her face. “I don’t like to get my head wet,” Adora assured her. “Reminds me too much of this one this one time I almost drowned during Horde training, ha-ha.” She started to close the door, trying to ease Glimmer back into the hall. “And, nope! No one here, but me, myself, and I! Just got a lot on my mind, so I kinda talk to myself sometimes. Helps to, uh, get my thoughts in order.” Adora smiled wider. 

Glimmer’s eyes narrowed for a moment until finally, she gave a small smile. “Well, okay. As long as you’re fine?” 

“I’m awesome.” 

Glimmer stepped back, her hand falling away from the door. “Okay. Dinner’s in an hour, if you’re hungry.”

“Oh, yeah, I’m starved.” 

“Alright, well, see ya there.” Glimmer lingered for another second, her smile faltering as she studied Adora again. Then she fixed her smile, gave a little nod, and walked down the hall. 

Adora slammed the door and slumped against it, groaning. 

“She sure is nosey,” Catra quipped as she stuck her head around the side of the bed. 

“She’s not nosey,” Adora snapped. “She just cares about me.” Adora pinched the bridge of her nose, blowing out a breath. “What am I doing? Why am I hiding you? Uuuggghh. I should’ve turned you in the second I found you. You’re an enemy.”

“Ex-enemy.”

“No, not ex-enemy,” Adora retorted, her hand falling from her face. “I still don’t know if I believe you or not. Why is this happening to me?” Adora slid down the length of the door until she was crouched. “I’m such an idiot.” 

“If this were some big plan, the Horde would already be here,” Catra said. “Or we would’ve ambushed you in the Woods. You know I’m right.” Catra let her gaze fall. “Will you please just untie me? This is seriously uncomfortable.”

Adora threw her head back against the door. “Stop asking me!” 

#### **

#### 

Adora pulled her arm away from her face and gazed at the chandelier above her bed. “I meant it,” Adora muttered, her heart feeling like it was in her throat. 

“What?”

She felt Catra shift and could feel those beautiful eyes watching her. Adora let out a sigh. “I love you.” 

Crickets. 

Another shift.

“Oh.” 

Adora took a breath. “I always have,” she admitted. Adora imagined that Catra could hear how fast her heart was racing or maybe even feel it. It was louder than the crickets. 

“Sorry.”

Adora swallowed and kept her gaze fixed towards the ceiling. “For what?” Adora could practically feel Catra’s hesitation in the air. 

This silence was long. Drawn out. Endless. 

“I didn’t know that you…” Catra paused. “That you felt the same way I did.” 

“Oh.” Adora caught her bottom lip between her teeth, biting as hard as she could. She clutched the blanket with one hand, rubbing her thumb over the fabric in tight circles. “So, does that mean you love me too?” Her voice cracked a little, failing the confidence she wanted so desperately to put forth. “I mean, like, more than friends and stuff.” 

Catra groaned. “Are you really gonna make me say it? This is so embarrassing.” 

Adora finally looked away from the ceiling, a smile on her lips as she watched Catra put her back to her. “Come on, Catra. I said it.”

Catra pulled her legs to her chest, taking her tail back from Adora and wrapping it around her own body. “No way. Just turn me in to Bright Moon or whatever.” 

Adora balanced herself on one elbow as she faced Catra. “Oh, come on. Just say it.” Adora prodded Catra’s side with a finger. “Just three words. Super easy.”

Catra swatted Adora’s hand away. “Leave me alone.”

“Not until you admit that you’re in love with me,” Adora said, giggling as she moved closer. She poked Catra again. “Catra, please?”

“Stop being so annoying!” Catra sat up and whirled around to face Adora.

“You’re the one who’s annoying,” Adora retorted. “Why is it so hard for you to say it?”

“Why is it so hard for you to let it go?” Catra pushed Adora, her ears flat. 

Adora frowned. “Hey!” Adora pushed back. 

It turned into a flurry of shoves and punches until the blanket was on the floor and Catra had Adora pinned underneath her, the both of them out of breath. 

“Fine, whatever,” Adora laughed, her face flushed. “You win.”

Crickets again. 

Catra sat back on Adora’s hips, her hold on Adora’s shoulders loosening. The grin disappeared off her face and was replaced with a sheepish look. “Obviously, I love you, okay?” She turned away, a grumble on her lips. “Not that big of a deal.”

That was all Adora needed.

Adora took Catra’s face in her hands, pulling her down so that their lips could finally meet. It was quick. Just a peck. Just enough to feel a spark of electricity. 

They both pulled away, their eyes wide with fear of moving forward.

Adora stroked Catra’s cheek with her thumb, but she began to pull her hands away. “Um, was that okay? I’m sorry.” 

Catra nodded slowly. “Yeah, that was…okay.” 

Adora smiled, a nervous chuckle to follow. “Good.”

“Good.” 

Their lips met again. It was gentle and awkward, the both of them unexperienced with any kind of physical relationship besides fighting. Adora brought her hands back up to Catra’s face, one hand cradling a cheek and the other tangling itself amongst the thick fluff of Catra’s hair. 

Catra let her hands move to Adora’s stomach, using them as a sort of balance as she leaned down to Adora. 

Their noses bumped and their teeth met as the kisses became deeper. Their hands never wandered and their tongues didn’t make it far, but it was more than enough. Adora found herself smiling against Catra’s lips. “I love you,” Adora said, touching her forehead to Catra’s.

Catra leaned into the touch. “I love you too.” 

“I have to tell them about you tomorrow,” Adora said, her smile fading. 

“I know.” 

“I don't know how they’ll take it. They might imprison you. Or interrogate you.”

“Yeah.” 

Adora closed her eyes, trying to think only of the warm body of the person she loved. “I don’t know if they’ll accept you.”

Catra kissed Adora lightly. “I know.” She lowered herself so that she was lying on top of Adora. She wrapped her tail around them and nuzzled into Adora’s neck. “That’s future Catra and Adora’s problem.” 

Adora rested her cheek on Catra’s head and hugged her. “Yeah.”

Despite the uncertainty of the next day, the two of them slept better than they had in months. After all, they had each other.

**Author's Note:**

> Hope you guys liked it!! If enough people say they want a continuation, I'll probably make one.
> 
> Come chat with me on tumblr if you need to rant about 20gayteen :) @adoraisgay


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